One Minute Reflection – 25 August – Tuesday of the Twenty First week in Ordinary Time, Readings: 2 Thessalonians 2: 1-3a, 14-17, Psalms 96: 10, 11-12,13, Matthew 23: 23-26 – The Memorials of Sts Louis IX, (1214-1270) King of France, St Thomas de Cantelupe of Hereford (c 1218–1282) and St Joseph Calasanz (1557-1648) Founder
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You pay tithes of mint and dill and cumin and have neglected the weightier things of the law – judgement and mercy and fidelity. [But] these you should have done, without neglecting the others…” … Matthew 23:23
REFLECTION – “Not only among the Jews but among ourselves as well, we find people sinning in these ways. They are swallowing camels. People of this type frequently show off their religion even in the smallest of things. They are rightly called hypocrites for wanting to exploit their religiosity before men but being unwilling to undertake that very faith, which God Himself has justified.
Therefore, the imitators of the scribes and Pharisees must be dislodged and sent away from us, lest a woe, touches us, in the same way it touches them.
The scribes could be described as those who valued nothing found in the Scriptures, except its plain sense interpreted legalistically.
Meanwhile, they condemn those who look into the very depths of God Himself.
Mint and dill and cumin are only spices for food but are not themselves, substantial food. What substantive food would mean in conversion, would be that which is necessary for the justification of our souls—faith and love—unlike these legalisms, which are more like condiments and flavourings. It is as if, a meal might be thought to consist, more of condiments and flavourings than the food itself.
The seriousness of judgement is neglected, while great attention is given to minor matters.
Spiritual exercises which in and of themselves are hardly justice, are spoken of as justice and compassion and faith.
It is lacking in justice to treat these small parts as the whole.
When we do not offer to God the observance of all that is necessary for worship, we fail altogether.” … Origen (c 185-253) – Priest, Theologian, Father – Commentary on Matthew, 19
PRAYER – Dear Lord, help me to teach others about You by my example as well as my words. Grant that I may spread Your truth and Your light wherever I go. St Louis and St Joseph of Calasanz, you are examples of the way to true faith and love, assist us by your prayers, in living the true way of life in this world to attain our true home in heaven. We make our prayer through our Lord Jesus Christ with the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever, amen.
AnaStpaul 